One of my goals this year is to do more pickling. First on the list and most important was pickled asparagus. It’s the first year of eating asparagus from the garden, and I knew that as the spears got thinner they would be ready for a little “appetizer” treatment.
Of course, the main issue with canning is always having enough vegetables (or fruit) to make it worthwhile. Today, after two days of rain, I saw the asparagus had shot up in narrow spears perfect for the project. I had some other spears put aside and managed enough for two tall 1.5 pint jars. Gold. (Well, we’ll see once they’re opened. As you can see, they are not “gourmet grocery ready” and a little on the orange side from the turmeric, but the taste will tell!)
The first month of the garden has been wonderful. The cold frame gave me just enough of a head start that we could start eating salads and greens in May. The asparagus came in beautifully, and the radishes popped up quickly. Yesterday I pulled up the bolting first greens and most of the radishes to make way for the beets. Today I picked the rest of the parsnips that I planted last fall because the cauliflower and broccoli I interplanted with it now need the space. The kale is established
The wind is whistling on the porch and shaking “the darling buds of May” as Shakespeare called them. But the tomato plants are safely behind plastic walls.
The pea vines are climbing, the potato foliage is pushing its way up through the earth, and everything but the summer squash is planted. We’re ready for June and the second batch of lettuces and all that is to come!
The recipe for the asparagus listed “pickling spices” which I interpreted as whole yellow mustard seeds, celery seeds and a little turmeric for color. It’s a standard recipe, so adapt it as you will!
Pickled Asparagus
(adapted from “Preserving the Harvest” by Carol Costenbader)
3 cups distilled white vinegar
3 cups water
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp salt
3 lbs (about 8 cups) asparagus spears, washed and trimmed to fit the jars
4 cloves garlic, peeled (I used 2 and sliced them)
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp yellow mustard seeds
1/2 tsp celery seed
12 whole black peppercorns
- Combine the vinegar, water, sugar, salt and turmeric in a saucepan and heat to a boil.
- Pack the asparagus in two 1-quart jars, leaving 1/2 inch head space.
- Divide the garlic, mustard seeds, celery seed and peppercorns between the two jars. Pour the hot vinegar mixture over the asparagus, leaving 1/2 inch of head space. Cap and seal.
- Process for 20 minutes in a boiling-water-bath canner (I love my steam canner, which takes less time to heat up and has always sealed the jars in the same amount of time as water bath canning).